Revealing
by girl named story
Summary: AU. After being attacked, Sakura Haruno finds the truth about her life. But not everything is the way it seems in the new world she stumbled into. Formally known as The Beginning. Volume one of a trilogy.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with the Naruto world, plain and simple. 

Volume One of the Sinners and Saints Trilogy.

Rating: M, for violence and sticky situations.

Setting: Author's Universe.

Aurthor's Note: This is just a prologue, it won't always be in this point of view. Kay? Review at the end, please!

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**Sinners and Saints  
"Revealing"**

_Prologue: "Ordinary Man"_

Running a business controlling crazy, bloody thirsty murderers may sound hard, but to him, it was just another day. Sitting behind his orderly desk, he felt pretty satisfied with himself. He single handily caused chaos to pulse through the veins of the government, and he believed that was a good enough reason for someone to be happy with themselves.

With a devilish smirk, he looked upon the faces of his eager employees. Their eyes were shining with mischief and he couldn't help but notice how jumpy their muscles were. If he were to let them loose in public, surely they would create mass destruction. And as much as he loved mass destruction, that wasn't what he called them here for.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as you know, our enemy is currently paralyzed." Several faces curled into cruel smiles of glee. He just loved pleasing them. "But, it won't take them long to recoil and bounce back for some honorable, pathetic revenge." He stood up and walked towards his window with the nice view of the buzzing city. He liked to watch the innocent citizens go about their day, unaware of the criminals right in their own backyard. "We need to prepare for this. I will not have them even cause a dent in my ranks, understood?" He turned back to his audience.

"Yes, Boss." He heard a few mutter. His thin lips widened into a grin, flashing his vicious teeth.

"Wonderful. I want teams set up at all times, guards on duty twenty four hours. I want the perimeter expanded two miles every direction. And..." His face brightened in a manic fashion. "Kill all who seem suspicious. No prisoners."

He watched them all smile in agreement. He nodded and dismissed them, letting them carry out their jobs. He sighed and looked back out the window. The sun was dipping behind the towering buildings, causing a hue of oranges and purples to spread through the sky. The moon was visible, hanging half hidden behind the fluffy white clouds. It was a shame he didn't get to go outside on such a beautiful day.

"Excuse me, Boss, but I have some news you may find_ very_ interesting." He chuckled slightly to himself, turning around to face the man standing in the doorway to his office.

"You always have something interesting for me, that's why you're my favorite." Seating himself behind his desk, he weaved his fingers together and propped his elbows on the surface, letting his chin rest on the top of his hands.

The man's glasses caught the evening sun, causing them to glow and block his eyes from view. He smiled and seated himself in a chair facing his boss. He crossed his leg over the thigh of his other and neatly folded his hands on his lap. His silver hair was practically shining as it soaked up the last of the day's sun.

"I found some old friends." The man suddenly perked and stared in half disbelief. He didn't doubt this young man was capable of tracking them down, but the news was still a shock.

"Where?" He didn't hide the eagerness in his voice. His eyes watched the younger man intently. He had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

"Close, actually. That surprised me the most." The man leaned back into his chair, smiling with a rare happiness. The happiness only the pleasure of ending a life while the victim was unaware could bring.

"I see, and what have our comrades been up to all these years? It seems they've been out of touch with us, and I'm _dying_ to know how well they've been." The younger man grinned.

"They've been living a very dull life. It's a shame, they were such good people. They deserve... so much better." The man closed his eyes, picturing the two as the last time he saw them.

A beautiful woman, stunning really, with a willowy frame and bright eyes that lit up any room. Smooth skin and even smoother hair. She was always such a soft person, her personality and her body. She was young, you could tell in her smile. That was what he liked best about her. She would be bloody, drenched, but still smiling like an innocent child. She was passionate, and that was dangerous. He should have known.

The man was different. He was too rational to be passionate. His heart never interfered with what he did. He had a strong mind. He was smart and loved to show it off. He kept a close eye on the girl, never letting her go alone. He was always by her side. Looking over his shoulder, making sure nothing would separate them.

He used to value them, but that was before they betrayed him. "Are they together?" He knew they would be, but he couldn't help to ask. He was curious.

"Married." He nodded, expecting something like that. He looked up at the younger man. His smile twisted, his head tilted to the left, so his eyes could be seen behind his glasses. They were shining, he knew that look. He smirked.

"And?" The younger man laughed, closing his eyes for a moment.

"They have a teenager." _This day could not get any better._ The man, with his most sadistic smile, couldn't help but feel on top of the world. Just this one piece of information made waking up in the morning worth it.

"I think we should visit. Say hello, pay our respects." The younger man uncrossed his legs and sat straight in his chair. He knew what his boss was _really_ saying. "You know, catch up on old times."

"I'm sure they'll have plenty to say. It's been almost seventeen years."

"Sixteen," the older man corrected. He turned his chair and faced the window. He was just like any other person. He had things that made him happy, and things that upset him. He even had things that did both at the same time. And when he got angry, he got even. "I'm going to love murdering their child." Orochimaru was just an ordinary man.


	2. Chapter One: Sakura Haruno

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and everyone knows it.

Volume One of the Sinners and Saints Trilogy.

Rating: M, for violence and sticky situations.

Setting: Author's Universe.

Aurthor's Note: Well, I'd like to say I'm pretty happy with this chapter. I usually don't like high school stories with Naruto, but I can guarantee it doesn't last very long before the action starts! Yosh!

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**Volume One - Revealing**

_Chapter One: "Sakura Haruno"_

"Think that you've worked it out, then BANG! Right out of the blue, something happens to you to throw you off course... and then you break down." – Jem "Just A Ride"

Sakura Haruno was very excited as the last bell rang. School was out, and the weekend called to her like an old friend she hadn't seen in years. She hurried out of the class room and dashed down the hall, weaving her way through the traffic of Konoha High. Sakura aimed straight for her locker. The faster, the better.

"Sakura! Sakura, wait up!" Sakura stopped in her tracks, causing a random freshman to collide into her back. Sakura muttered an apology, but the kid glared and darted off before she could finish. "Sakura, hey, what are you doing tonight?" Forgetting about her collision, Sakura smiled at the blonde walking up to her.

"It's a secret," Sakura slyly replied. Ino grinned and batted her eyelashes playfully. Sakura crossed her arms and smiled.

"Is it for my birthday?" Sakura couldn't help but grin. Ino linked arms with her and they walked in-step down the hall. Sakura adjusted her textbooks before frowning at Ino.

"Ino Yamanaka, you will not con me into telling you your birthday gift." Ino pouted.

"But why?" She drew out the 'why' like a childish whine. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Because what fun is opening a present that you already know what's inside?" Ino huffed and jutted her chin in the air. Sakura smiled. Ino always did that when she was pretending to be mad.

Ino was considered one of the prettiest girls in the sophomore class. She was tall, slender, and nicely built from all her years as a gymnast. Her hair was blonde, straight, and reached her hips. She mostly kept it swept up into a ponytail, letting the ends curl up like a horse's tail. Her eyes were an ocean-blue, but covered party by her bangs that crossed over her forehead at an angle. She was simply beautiful. Like a model.

"I'd rather know than torture myself wondering what it is!" Sakura chuckled as she reached her locker. She quickly spun the dial without giving the combination a second thought. 7-13-4.

Ino slouched against the neighboring locker and gave Sakura another pout. "Forget it, Ino. You can wait a week. Shikamaru is doing just fine waiting, and you can too." Sakura shoved her Geometry book on the top shelf, trading it for her Biology book. She sighed as she gently placed it among the rest of the homework in her bag.

"No, I'll die. Plus, Shikamaru is too lazy to care if it's his birthday." Sakura disapprovingly stared at the blonde. Ino finally sighed and threw her hands up. "Fine! Just kill your best friend! It's not like my life matters to you." Sakura slammed the locker door shut and grabbed Ino by the shoulders.

"You are not going to die, Ino. For the next seven days, you will survive the anticipation of my super awesome present." Ino narrowed her eyes.

"It doesn't help with you calling it 'super awesome present', you know." Sakura playfully shoved Ino forward. She slung her bag over her shoulder, letting the rest hang down her back.

"You know me, I love torturing you." The girls laughed at themselves and headed towards the double doors that led to the outside world.

The sun made Sakura squint as they walked into the courtyard. Clusters of kids stood in huddles, waiting for their parents to pick them up, standing among the carefully planted trees and shrubs. Sakura spotted a boy with brown hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, sitting on a bench in the shade. She smiled as they made eye contact.

"Ino. Sakura." He beckoned them to join him. Sakura jeered the reluctant Ino in his direction.

"Hi, Shikamaru." Sakura beamed at him. He lazily nodded in response. Shikamaru Nara was a man of few words, and a man of fewer talents. He did nothing except read mystery novels and play war strategy games on his laptop. A simple life for a simple person.

He had a narrow face with sharp features and warm, brown eyes. He wore a single, silver hoop earring that he never replaced since sixth grade. He was tall, skinny, and built just like Ino. His hair was to his shoulders, but pulled back into a small ponytail. Girls might find him attractive if he actually put effort into his looks. He wasn't popular, and didn't talk much to others outside their clique. He never had a girlfriend, which was a shame. He was a nice, honest boy. Sakura never understood why he didn't bother with girls. He claimed them to be troublesome, but Sakura believed he was just too lazy.

Ino shifted her weight from one foot to the next. Sakura didn't get why Ino suddenly became so awkward around Shika. He was their friend since elementary. What could possibly be different now?

"So, what're you doing tonight?" Sakura asked, trying to direct the conversation away from the unsettling silence. Shika shrugged and leaned back on the bench.

"What I always do." Sakura nodded.

"You're coming over...to my house?" Ino stuttered out. Sakura raised an eyebrow. Ino never stuttered. Ino was the cool one. The popular, confident one. Something about her stuttering didn't set well with Sakura. It was just too out of character.

"I was counting on it." Shika looked past them. Sakura followed his eyes. Her eyebrows knitted together in disapproval.

"Hey, Shika." The way she said his name was enough to make Sakura want to punch her. She noticed Ino tense as Keiko glided towards them.

Keiko, a grade eleven, was by far the only girl besides Ino who could make a man drop to his knees and beg for mercy. She wore her hair in a retro, 80's side ponytail. She was a red head with dark eyes. She had a fake, brown tan and stylish hip huggers that didn't hide her curves along with her black baby tee. Her nails is what intimidated Sakura the most. Long, sharp, and manicured. She could do some serious damage with those things. Even the senior girls stayed out of Keiko's way. Keiko's father was a powerful man and funded his daughter endlessly with ridiculous amounts of money. She was spoiled.

Keiko made it her personal mission to make high school as horrible as possible for Ino and Sakura. She didn't like Ino because Ino could actually rival her, and Sakura embarrassed her their freshman year when she noticed and announced loudly that Keiko had started her period in her white, P.E uniform shorts. Keiko knows how to hold a grudge.

Shikamaru's family was well off, too. At a yacht club garden party Shikamaru's mother dragged him to, he met Keiko. Both were equally annoyed and together they shared in the 'just kill me now' attitude. Thus, a creepy and strange friendship was born. And much to Sakura and Ino's horror when the school year started.

"Yo." Shika kept his demeanor calm, but Sakura definitely noticed he was suddenly alert. She also noticed Ino noticed.

"I'm having a party tonight. My dad's out of town, and I was hoping you'd show up." Sakura coughed, Keiko glared at her out of the corner of her eye. Shika sighed and rubbed his temples.

"I don't like parties. They're loud." Sakura smiled. She knew Shikamaru would never be caught at a party. Especially a party thrown by Keiko. They were notorious, the talk of the school.

"Then you and I can hang out in a quiet room." Ino uncomfortably shifted her weight again. Her eyes were boring holes in the cement pavement. Sakura squeezed her arm. Ino looked up at her and suddenly, her lips curled into a twisted grin. Sakura frowned.

"He can't." Keiko huffed, placing her hands on her hips. She didn't even turn to face Ino.

"And why is that? Are you babysitting him?" Ino smiled at the back of Keiko's head.

"Actually, I am." Sakura smiled at Ino, but Ino was glaring at Keiko who was now turned around and sending Ino flames from her black lined eyes. Her make up was always perfect, but it made her look like she had just got done cocaine.

"Oh? Is that so?" Keiko didn't sound very amused. Shika narrowed his eyes.

"Back in the day, Shika's parents and my parents made a deal. Every time one of them were out of town, the other kept an eye on their kid." Ino let the words sink in. "That means, he'll be playing Scrabble with my parents and me. Safe and sound, in a house three miles from your party." Sakura was thrilled. Goodbye stuttering Ino, and hello the best friend she loved. The confident one.

"How very exciting," Keiko replied, in a sarcastic, dull drawl. Shika rolled his eyes. Sakura knew he didn't care that Ino was killing his invite to the party, he would have turned it down himself. But something about the way he frowned made her uneasy.

"Scrabble can get pretty intense in the Yamanaka house," Ino retorted smugly. Keiko rolled her eyes in annoyance and turned back to Shikamaru.

"If you get bored at your... Scrabble match... call me." She pulled out a feathered pink gel pen and yanked Shika's hand towards her. She jotted down her number with a seductive smirk, winked, and then strutted away. But not before sending Ino a warning with her harsh eyes.

"What a bitch," Sakura stated as they watched Keiko rejoin her group. Ino might have been pretty, but she didn't stand a change among those girls. They were like wolves, and Sakura and Ino were just rabbits trying to survive in the same forest.

Sakura was the type of girl who tried her hardest to not get caught up in cat fights with fierce girls like Keiko. Girls like that could ruin girls like Sakura. Though, being Ino's friend had helped Sakura harden her backbone. She wasn't so awkward anymore, and she spoke up more. Just being in Ino's presence made Sakura feel ten times tougher.

"She's not that bad." Sakura gasped and Ino glared. Shika shrugged his shoulders in a fluid motion. Every movement he made was graceful, regardless of the fact he was a lazy bum.

"How can you say that? That girl has always made our lives hell." Ino narrowed her eyes, darkening her usual light eyes. "Traitor." It was Shika's turn to glare.

"I'm not a traitor, Ino. She's never made my life hell, so why should I have a problem with her?" Sakura crossed her arms in defiance.

"But she made OUR lives hell. That should be enough for you to hate her," Sakura retorted. Shika sighed, as if he were explaining evolution to three year olds.

"We're not in middle school, ladies. Enough with the drama."

"Drama? Is that what you call it, huh? It's more like war. You'll never understand how girls work, Shika." Ino shook her head in shame.

"I'll never understand, because I'm not a girl." Ino frowned, obviously not finding his remark funny. Sakura chuckled, using her hand to muffle the sound so she wouldn't anger Ino any more than she already was.

"You like her, don't you? You like that fake, wannabe?" The anger was rising in Ino's voice. Shika looked away, his eyes portraying his lack of interest.

"Would it be a crime? If I did?" Sakura sighed, feeling the tension between them grow.

"Yes! You're supposed to be on our side! But no, you're chasing that.. that... spoiled brat!" Sakura watched as Ino's face distorted in rage and betrayal. Sakura knew Ino could get mad at Shikamaru, but it was never this serious. Something between them changed, something Sakura couldn't put her finger on.

"Keep your voice down, Ino. Not only are you giving me a headache, but people are starting to stare."

"You seriously don't care that you're betraying us?" _Us?_ Sakura blinked. Since when did she get caught up in this?

"I don't care, because I haven't." Shikamaru's usual calm face was now shadowed with frustration. Sakura suddenly wished Choji was here to help her. She seriously doubted she had the ability to stop a train wreck. Choji was the fourth and final member of their clique. He was the fun-loving one who made everyone feel better. Ino called him her 'feel good medicine'. But unfortunately for Sakura, he wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"She's our enemy, Shikamaru! That makes her your enemy too."

"No, it doesn't. I can like whoever I want, Ino."

"I knew it! You do like her!"

"I didn't say that!"

"You can just forget about coming over tonight! And Scrabble! I don't want to see your face, I'm so sick of you!" Ino spun on her heel and stomped away. Sakura's jaw dropped. Before anyone could say another word, Ino turned back around and glared dangerously at Shikamaru. "Don't come crying to me when she leaves you for the next piece of ass with more money." With that said, Ino strutted towards the other end of the courtyard.

A stunned silence wrapped around the two as they watched her slam her bag down and lean against the school, her eyes still flaming with the heat of her anger. Sakura looked back at Shikamaru, who was still staring at Ino. His eyes didn't give away how he felt, but Sakura had an idea.

Shikamaru and Ino were friends way before Sakura came into the picture. Their parents went way back, their fathers actually. Choji, too. They were babies when they had their first play date. Since then, they were inseparable. Ino was the playful, spunky one. Shikamaru the sensible, bored one, and Choji was the calm, loving one. They were perfect for each other.

Sakura used to feel left out whenever they hung out in a group. It was them and then her. But that feeling soon melted away over time. Now, she felt as if there never was a time when she wasn't among them.

When Ino announced Shika was no longer allowed to play Scrabble with her, it cut him deeply. It was their tradition. Shika's parents often went out of town on business, leaving him with the Yamanaka's. Ino would pull the Scrabble box out of her closet and they would play for hours. Laughing and teasing each other. Sakura was invited a couple of times, but it felt wrong invading their game. It was a Shikamaru-Ino thing, and nothing was supposed to tear that apart. Except Keiko.

"Maybe you should go talk to her," Sakura suggested after a moment of silence. Shika sighed, letting his gaze drop to his feet. His shoulders slouched in defeat.

"No, she'll only yell at me." Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You just don't want to bother." Shika looked up at her. Sakura smiled sweetly, knowing she hit the truth in the gut.

"She's loud when she's mad. I already have a headache. I'll call her later." Sakura frowned. Sometimes, Shikamaru's mellow attitude really got under her skin.

"You think ignoring her is going to solve things?" Shikamaru said nothing, but stared at the sky instead. The clouds rolled like fat caterpillars across the clear blue sky. Sakura waved her hand in front of Shika's face. "Hello! Are you listening to me?" Shika sighed and stood up, swooping down to grab his bag.

"Sakura, I'm sorry to cut this short, but my ride is here." Sakura crossed her arms as she watched him stride to a large, black truck waiting by the sidewalk. She squinted into the sun watching the truck drive away. With a sigh, Sakura plopped herself heavily onto the bench. She buried her face into her hands. _My friends are going to be the death of me._

"Sakura? Are you alright?" Sakura smiled, recognizing that voice immediately.

"You just missed it, Choji." She looked up at the boy standing in front of her. "Another Ino-Shika death match."

Choji Akimichi was a heavier set boy with rusty red hair and a round face. His eyes were small and glassy. He was currently munching on a snack size bag of chips, the crumbs falling and landing on his chest. Sakura grinned and patted the space next to her. Choji complied and sat with her.

"What did he do this time?" Sakura giggled, swinging her legs and enjoying the company.

"You remember Keiko? Well, Ino flipped out. It was... well, the usual. She's over there, maybe you should talk to her?" Sakura turned and watched Choji stare at Ino. His hand crumbled the empty bag of chips and frowned. Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" Choji's frown grew.

"Nothing, it's nothing." He stood up and brushed the crumbs off his sweatshirt. "It's okay, I'll go talk to her." Sakura looked over at Ino. She was still staring off into space, her face still wearing the same look of disgust.

"Sure. I need to go home anyways." Sakura gathered her things and started walking in the opposite direction. She glanced over at her shoulder to see Choji walking up to Ino, whom immediately seemed to brighten. That was the magic of Choji. He could lift any spirit.

Sakura smiled as she kicked at a rock, sending it rolling through the dying September grass. A breeze tangled her hair, cooling her face. She stared off into the distance. The multi-colored trees lining the streets, the cars driving past her, and the endless blue sky, Sakura truly loved fall. Taking in a deep breath, filling her lungs with sweet air, she started in the direction of home.

Walking down Main Street was never a favorite of Sakura's. She always felt over exposed as the lines of cars zipped past her in a state of rush, walking just feet away on the safe sidewalk. She held onto the straps of her book bag as she shuffled down the cracked cement. She grinned as she caught sight of her destination.

Standing between a bakery and an antique bookstore stood the Haruno business and home, Haruno Studio of Martial Arts. The air was that was thick of scents of icing and bread. Sakura would purposely leave her window open just to fill her room with the sweet smells. The main door led to the studio. Thick, black print decorated the windows and read the hours and types of classes you can take. The second door, hidden in the shadow of the bookstore, was Sakura's small but cozy home. Traveling up a flight of noisy stairs, Sakura reached a plain and worn door.

Successfully unlocking the door and getting inside, Sakura dumped her bag next to the door and kicked it shut. Happy to be home. She glided into the living room, glancing around before departing for her room.

The walls were littered with sad but beautiful boys from the latest alternative bands, pictures of Ino, Shika, Choji and herself lining her mirror, and a string of Christmas lights that snaked along side the ceiling. Her curtains were a pale yellow, softly tossing and turning from the breeze. Her floors were wooden with a giant shag carpet in the shape of a flower. Her bed was a mess of blankets, pillows, and clothes. The chair in the corner was submerged under the different outfits Sakura will cycle through before deciding which one fit her mood that day. A cluttered shelf and desk stood next to each other near the window, and her dresser drawers were spilling open, revealing Sakura's undergarments. Her closet door was wide open, show casing random arrangement of shoes, clothes barely clinging to the hangers, and old stuffed animals her heart couldn't part with. She smiled. This was her haven.

Flinging herself on her bed, Sakura sighed and stared at the ceiling. Everything in her life was in order. (Minus the occasional zit and drama with Ino.) It was almost _too_ in order.

She sat up, staring at the mirror reflection hanging on the wall. Her eyes glittered a bright green, her hair a soft, flower petal pink, and her skin pale. Her breasts weren't small but weren't anything to fuss over either. She had curves and a slender stomach. Her neck was a little skinny, and her ears might have been slightly larger than normal, but besides that, she couldn't complain.

She sighed. Sakura was the only girl she knew with natural pink hair. She wondered where she got it. Her parents told her was it passed down from a dead grandmother, a grandmother she had only seen in pictures. She had been teased about it for years, but it slowly died down by middle school. Now, she only got the occasional gaping stare from strangers. Sakura used to hate her appearance, but she eventually matured and decided it was something to be proud. Seriously, how many girls can say their hair is _naturally_ pink?

"Sakura? Are you home?" Bounding off her bed, Sakura scooted into the living room. A woman with dark hair and light green eyes stood in the kitchen, arms filled with groceries and a smile plastered on her motherly face. Sakura grinned and waltzed over to her mother.

Ayame Haruno was the strongest and most beautiful woman Sakura ever knew. She could balance a checkbook _and_ perform a flying sidekick. She ran the business's finances and also helped her father teach the younger children. She volunteered to help with the adult classes, but she usually stuck to the little ones.

She had nice round eyes that were a cucumber green, not so bright like Sakura's. Her skin was naturally pale, and took ages to tan. That much, Sakura could claim her mother passed down to her daughter. She had the best figure for over thirty in town, not an ounce of fat to be seen. The boys in Sakura's class even nominated her the "Boner of the Month", something that only got them knocked upside the head for by Sakura's temper.

She placed the bags gently on the counter and swept away a stray piece of hair. "How was school?"

"Fine." Casually poking her head into the bags, Sakura moseyed around the kitchen before seating herself on the over-sized couch.

"You'll have to find something to do for dinner. Your father and I are sparring with some friends." It might have been odd to have both her parents being martial arts' instructors, but Sakura actually found it amusing. It was always fun to tease the boys who tried to get a little too fresh. _"My parents are trained martial artists, you better watch out."_

"That's fine." Sakura watched her poke around the house, cleaning the empty cans on the living room table, picking up her father's dirty socks, and checking the answering machine.

Sakura smiled, happy and content. She cuddled up on the couch, hugging a throw pillow to her chest. She rested her head on the back of the couch, feeling warm and safe. Nothing could go wrong here in her home.

Her father walked through the door, sweaty and smiling. He was a tall man with light black hair that looked purple in certain amounts of light with large green eyes. He was built with toned limbs and hard muscles. Both of her parents could be super models with bodies like that.

Ryuu Haruno playfully hugged his wife from behind, wiping his sweaty forehead all over her nice sweater. She punched him softly in the arm and scolded him. He used to be in the army, working as a martial arts specialist. But that was before her met Ayame and turned in his dog tags for a wedding ring. Now, he runs his own martial business with his wife. Still doing what he loves with whom he loves, killing two birds with one stone as he put it. Sakura grinned and closed her eyes, listening to them playfully bicker back and forth.

Her parents loved each other and their only child unconditionally, she had the best friends in the world, and she was passing all her classes. She didn't always get what she wanted, but her luck wasn't too bad. Her pockets always had spending money and she never knew what the word "hunger" really meant. She didn't have a boyfriend, but then again, Sakura's parents wouldn't allow it anyways. Sakura had a pretty good life.

Of course, Sakura didn't always make note of that. She picked and whined about how unadventurous her life was. It was always the same thing everyday in her eyes. Wake up, school, come home, eat, homework, and then fall asleep to repeat the cycle again the next day. Her parents were corny and out of style, her best friend nagged 24/7, and school was the worst thing _ever_. Sakura sighed. Her life was plain. Plain and just down right _dull_. She wished something would happen, something cool and exciting.

"Be careful what you wish for," Sakura softly reminded herself as she slipped into a nap. Peaceful and tired, Sakura dreamed of a life that had a little more oompth to it. Blissfully unaware of the terrors that oompth could bring.


	3. Chapter Two: Naruto Uzumaki

Disclaimer: Still don't own it!

Volume One of the Sinners and Saints Trilogy.

Rating: M, for violence and sticky situations.

Setting: Author's Universe.

Aurthor's Note: Um, it would be nice to get a beta reader... I always miss the most simple spelling errors and such. I guess it's just a horrible habit I have. Anyways, I'm sorry it took so long to write this chapter. I struggled to keep focus, I kept wanting to write the parts _after_ this chapter. It's sort of just an insight into Naruto's life. Just a small one. Anyways, tell me anything you think might improve it. Thanks and review!

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Volume One - Revealing

_Chapter Two: "Naruto Uzumaki"_

"Think that you've worked it out, then BANG! Right out of the blue, something happens to you to throw you off course... and then you break down." – Jem "Just A Ride"

Naruto Uzumaki stretched, feeling the sore muscles in his back whine as they woke from a long night of restless sleep. Yawning loudly, he yanked the sheets back and stumbled across his room.

He stopped in front of his mirror and scratched his head. His clear blue eyes were still hazy from sleep and his bright blonde hair was a mess of tangles. His white shirt was wrinkled and his boxers were hanging slightly off his hips. He rubbed his face, his hand sliding over the whisker-like scars on his cheeks.

He blinked a couple of times before walking out his room and into the small hallway. His eyes fell on the door facing him. Closed and locked shut. Naruto sighed and trudged down the hall towards the staircase.

Walking down the stairs, he saw Sai sitting on the couch. He was bent over his sketchpad, slowly and carefully drawing black lines with his paintbrush. Naruto grinned and hurried down to the living room.

"Morning, bastard." Naruto grinned as Sai glared up at him from his sketchpad.

Sai was strange. There really wasn't any other way to describe him. His lack of knowledge on human emotion made talking to him uncomfortable, and he didn't have a large range of facial expressions. But that never really bothered Naruto, he had gotten used to it over the years. They were close, in the sense that they understood where the other one came from. They were both living a life they hardly knew.

"You didn't do the dishes last night. That's what people call lazy." Naruto growled as he lumbered towards the kitchen to see the damage. He stopped in his tracks as he got a glimpse of the sink.

"There is no way I can do this by myself!" Sai appeared behind Naruto, taking in the sight of the towering piles of plates, cups, and bowls. A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, but he remained expressionless.

"You dirtied most of them, so it's only fair." Naruto glared at the sink.

"You're helping."

"Forget it, there's no way I'm helping."

"But why?" Naruto pouted as he chased after Sai, who was retreating back to the couch.

"Because it's your turn and I have no pity whatsoever."

"You're heartless," Naruto whined as Sai continued his painting.

"I'm not heartless. I just have no sympathy for your lack of responsibility." He faked a sweet smile. "And neither does Sensei." Naruto frowned.

"Where is that old pervert anyways?" Sai shrugged.

"He left early this morning, before I was awake. He left a note on the kitchen table. Read it, if you're interested," Sai replied coolly. Naruto looked back down at him.

His short, straight black hair was combed and extra shiny this morning. His coal, onyx eyes were fixated on his painting. His nimble fingers wrapped around the brush, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration, and his tongue slightly poking out from habit. Even though he didn't act like it, Sai was just as human as the rest of the world. Naruto sighed and walked back into the kitchen.

There, in the center of the table, was a single piece of paper. Obviously Sai had cleaned the table off earlier. Nothing was ever this clean in _this_ house, but then again, Sai had never cleaned before. Who knew he was a natural?

_Naruto, Sai,_

_I had a meeting. Good job on the mission last night. We'll have dinner to celebrate, my treat. _

_Kakashi _

_P.S Naruto, you didn't do the dishes last night. Do them now or else you'll feel a thousand years of pain... _

"Teh, whatever." Naruto tossed the note aside and looked over at the overly filled sink. He swallowed. This wasn't going to be fun.

Naruto's hands were prune-y, wrinkly, and disgusting. Staring at them as they rested on his lap, Naruto truly wondered why he put so much effort into _dishes_. It wasn't his usual nature to actually care about getting the dishes down but he didn't even want to know what "a thousand years of pain" was like, so he sucked up his pride and tackled the task.

Sai poked his head into the kitchen, glaring at Naruto with shadowed eyes. "We're late." Naruto's head snapped up to the clock. His stomach flipped.

"It's your fault! Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto jerked up from his chair, sending it screeching backwards. He darted up the stairs, two at a time, and skidded into his musty bedroom.

Hurrying to rip off his shirt, Naruto yanked a clean one off his chair. Pulling it over his head, he stumbled to his dressed and grabbed a pair of orange pants. He shoved his legs through the holes and hurried to fasten the button. He pushed his arms through his matching orange jacket and zipped it up to his throat, the white collar coming up to his chin.

Not giving much thought to what he was looking for, Naruto threw his dirty clothes around in a frenzy. He kicked through piles of books, scrolls, and empty containers of Ramen. His eyes darted around, trying to spot his tan pouch among the clutter of useless junk. Sai appeared in the doorway, a sarcastic smirk portrayed on his pale face.

"It's right in front of you." Naruto stopped in his tracks and stared between his feet. He growled and scooped up the slightly bulky pouch and then spun around towards Sai. He grinned challenging, his eyes narrowed into defiant slits.

"Race you!" Sai was off before Naruto had time to finish his sentence. Naruto jumped the stairs and landed with a soft thud at the bottom. Sai was already out the door and down the street by the time Naruto zipped through the living room. Slamming the door behind him, he quickly darted across the lawn and down the sidewalk. Naruto sped up, gaining on Sai as they bolted around the corner.

The breeze felt good against Naruto's face. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of his breathing. He could hear his pulse in his ears, but he didn't slow down. He was burning with energy as his legs kept speed with Sai. He breathed in through his nose, controlling his breathing as he pushed himself to go faster. There was no way he was going to loose to Sai.

They ran side by side, both of them occasionally bursting into a sprint, trying to loose the other. Naruto playfully shoved Sai off the curb into the street, which earned him a shove back, almost running straight into a mailbox. Naruto whooped with surprise and darted out of the way, barely missing it by an inch. Sai smiled, speeding up as he crossed the street to the next block. The park was just up ahead. Naruto narrowed his eyes and picked up the pace, his feet hardly touching the ground as he gained on Sai.

Sai glanced over his shoulder, glaring darkly. Naruto stuck out his tongue. With a growl, Sai sped up. Naruto grinned. He was already on Sai's heels and was pushing himself even faster.

He was slightly sweating by the time they bolted into the entrance of the park. Sai was ahead, but Naruto still had time to catch up. He tightened his hands into fists and closed his eyes as he shoved himself farther. Naruto and Sai darted separate ways as they dove into the grove of Spruces.

Shoving aside the scratchy branches of the evergreen trees, Naruto lost sight of Sai. He tensed and tried to sense where he was. He could hear the crunch of pinecones and stray leaves, the smell of pine needles and the distant aroma of smoke... and Sai's cologne. Smiling in success, Naruto was able to smell Sai was just to his right at least eight feet away.

The park was placed next to the woods that outlined the edge of the city. A wire fence was all that separated the little kiddies from the maze of trees and forgotten buildings, rotting with the passing years. Mothers would always warn their little ones to never get too close. There were far too many stories of kids venturing near the woods and never returning.

The trees sagged with age, their leaves already fallen, leaving them bare like skeletons. The smell of decaying earth was thick and fat black birds dominated the branches, watching with beady eyes. The buildings were once a series of factories that manufactured black powder, but were abandon long ago. Now they stood, their windows gone and their walls crumbling, leaving gaping holes in their sides. Naruto headed straight for it in a dead sprint, zipping past a group of four years old playing in the sandbox. One pointed and cried out in surprise.

Naruto noticed Sai bolting from the evergreens and charging across the playground, right in line with him. Gritting his teeth, Naruto leapt and grabbed hold of the fence. His fingers held tight to the thin metal as he shoved his feet into the diamond-shaped holes of the design. Forcing his body to swing over the top, Naruto landed with a dull thud and took off running without giving his now throbbing ankles a second thought.

"You're getting slow!" Naruto called over his shoulder. He heard Sai land and take off after him.

"Go to hell," Sai muttered as he slid past tree after tree. Naruto laughed loudly. The sun poured through the canopy, causing the trees to paint eerie shadows on the ground below. The shade was cool, causing a shiver to pass down Naruto's spine.

Thorns and burrs were clinging to his pants by the time Naruto reached the clearing. Several birds flew away in anger of being disturbed as he darted through a bush and slid to a stop. His chest was heaving and his nose was cold. He grinned at Sai as he emerged shortly afterwards. Sai bent over, resting his hands on the tops of his thighs.

"I won!" Naruto shouted, dancing in a circle. Sai didn't look up, but stayed bent over. Naruto cheered in victory and pranced to and fro in the clearing. Finally, Sai grunted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Too bad there's no prize." Naruto grinned widely, his eyes squinting with mischief.

"You're a sore loser, Sai." Sai rolled his eyes, pretending not to care. Naruto straightened and strutted towards the towering building in the shadows, on the other side of the clearing. Hidden among the crippled trees and spider infested bushes, stood a proud building that refused to deteriorate through the countless years.

Naruto pushed against the rough, wooden door and walked inside, with Sai on his heels. A single beam of morning sunlight pinched its way through a crack in the corner of the building, striking across the room at a sharp angle and hitting the floor in a puddle. Dust particles danced in the yellow light, falling like bits of snow. Naruto took a deep breath, a pungent stench of grim and mud filled his senses as he stepped further into the room.

This place was forgotten and set aside by society. Rumors of missing children and ghosts kept most from adventuring into the surrounding area, leaving the buildings lonely and untouched. Many had heard of tales of apparitions making home here, dragging away innocent children to their Earthly hells. A few brave teenagers dared to come here, but fled before really exploring its depth, only to tell their friends about their sightings of mysterious figures that moved in the shadows. The city was frightened of its very own haunted woods. It was the perfect place for a secret organization to make birth.

Naruto slid into the shadows and found the doorway leading into the next room. Sai followed close behind him. The soft layer of moss and mulch that overgrew the once wooden floor muffled their footsteps, making them impossible to hear as they walked through the next room. Spider webs clung to the corners, thick and white like cotton. The air was quiet, an eerie silence that seemed to swallow them both the minute they walked through the front door. Finally, Naruto stopped in front of a run down staircase.

Time had eaten away most of the steps. The railing was broken and leaning away from the stairs. It was useless, only an idiot would attempt to climb it. But that wasn't a problem for Naruto. His aim wasn't going up, it was going down.

He carefully placed his foot on the first step, testing it. He used the wall to balance himself as he leaned over and counted the steps that survived the curse of rotting. _One, two, three, four...skip a step and six._ He smiled and warily pushed his back against the wall, using the strip of solid wood that ran along side the stairs. He slid himself against the wall until he reach the sixth step and gently tapped it with his foot. Sai was carefully following him, not saying a single word as he watched the step intently. Naruto tapped it again, in a Morse code.

"_Robin Hood and Picasso. Robin Hood and Picasso." _Naruto repeated the code until a tapping responded. Both boys froze, their ears straining to listen.

"_What's the password?" _Sai growled as he listened to the Morse code.

"It's fucking Camel. We don't have time for this," Sai hissed. Naruto grinned and leaned his foot forward to respond.

"_Camel is king."_ Naruto tapped back.

"_Nope, try again."_ Naruto rolled his eyes, starting to get annoyed.

"Let us in," he barked, "You know it's us." Finally, the top of the stair gave way with a groan, revealing a dark haired man with a cigarette tucked in the corner of his mouth. His square jaw was outlined with small beard; his hair stuck out awkwardly to the side and resembled the color of a smoky night sky. His eyes playfully narrowed as he smiled at the two boys.

"You don't have to be so pushy, Picasso." Sai glowered and shoved Camel back inside, following him inside the passageway inside the broken staircase. Naruto laughed and followed after them.

"He's just mad 'cause I totally kicked his ass in a race." Camel took a drag and smiled, his eyes fogged by a thick cloud of smoke as he exhaled. Sai glared at Naruto as they piled into a narrow tunnel. Camel reached up and shut the opening and locking it.

A row of hanging lights swayed slightly as they hung in a straight line down the tunnel. The walls and floor were concrete but covered in a layer of grim. It didn't seem to have an end, but kept going on forever in the shadows. Naruto looked back up at Camel.

"You have guard duty? Alone?"

"No, Joker's taking a break. He'll be back soon." The skinny cigarette wiggled up and down as Camel spoke. The end lit up as he took another drag, slowly eating away at the tobacco inside.

"We need to hurry," Sai reminded Naruto. Naruto sighed and nodded. They said their goodbyes to Camel and took off down the tunnel in a jog.

"Keep out of trouble, Robin Hood." Naruto gave him thumbs up and dashed after Sai.

Codenames were essential here. Everyone had one, and sometimes, they had more than one. Naruto only knew Sai and Kakashi by their real names, and that was only because they were on the same team. It was a way of life, to protect your identity. It was difficult at first, when he was six years old, but now it was second nature. The minute he climbed through the secret doorway in the staircase, he became Fox Tail. And Naruto Uzumaki waited patiently outside.

The main tunnel led to other tunnels, tangling together in a labyrinth that only someone who was trained to know exactly where each led could find their way. Anyone else would loose themselves completely inside the underground maze. Luckily, Naruto spent over half his life inside these walls and knew them by heart. He barely gave thought as to where he was going, but simply jogged down each tunnel with a silly grin.

"Hey, hey! Slow down!" Naruto glared at the Sai's back as he turned the corner. Sai ignored him (or pretended to) and kept running in a steady pace. Naruto glowered and picked up his speed, his footsteps bouncing off the walls and echoing down the tunnel.

He turned the corner and came to a sudden halt. There, standing in their way, was China Doll. A slender girl with chocolate eyes, China Doll was the same age as Naruto and Sai. They had met her during their training years, but never really knew her that well. She had her own team, her own secrets. It was strange, all these years, and Naruto only knew her by her code name. But then again, she only knew them by their code names too.

She had pale skin and brown hair, pulled back into two buns like panda ears. Her tiny chest was wrapped in a shirt styled like a kimono and she wore the standard Capri pants. Naruto stared at Sai, who was staring back at him.

"Uh... China Doll?" Her head snapped up, as if just realizing they were standing there.

"You're late, so they told me to wait for you to... tell you something happened." Naruto's throat tightened. He knew what was going to be said next. Someone died, someone close. It was how everyone started when they were going to tell you someone close to you was dead. Naruto stood straight, preparing himself for the worst. He noticed Sai had tensed as well.

"What is it?" Sai asked. Naruto's hands were clenched and his eyes were fixed on her. China Doll sighed and leaned against the wall, cradling her face in her hands. Naruto frowned. This wasn't good if it hurt her too.

"Mawen ish dad." Naruto raised his eyebrows. Her palms had muffled her voice, obscuring her words into something incoherent.

"What was that? I didn't catch it." Sai stepped forward. His expression wasn't worried or concerned, just slightly confused.

"Merlin is dead!" Naruto's heart stopped, for what felt like a solid minute. _No way..._ The words hadn't even sunk it, he refused to believe what his ears were yelling at him. There was no way Merlin was dead. Merlin couldn't be dead. He couldn't... be dead. Naruto swallowed and took a step back, trying to organize his thoughts, which were currently a tangled mess.

Merlin was like a grandfather Naruto had only seen in movies. He looked after him, treated him like a normal boy, and might have even loved him. Naruto clenched his hands into fists, his nails digging into the soft flesh of his palms. His teeth gritted together painfully, his jaw tight and his eyes stinging with tears. Merlin was more than his boss, more than the leader of their organization, he was like family. Family Naruto had never known.

"When did this happen?" Sai asked calmly. China Doll's eyes were brimming with silvery tears, which she quickly wiped away.

"Two days ago, but they kept it quiet until they organized everything." She pushed herself off the wall. "That's what the meeting was about, to explain what was going to be done." Naruto glared at her.

"What happened? How did he die? Was he killed?" China Doll coughed slightly and looked away uneasy.

"All Sailor said was there was a distress call and Merlin responded, and ... well, it was fatal." Naruto scratched his head.

"But that doesn't sound right. Merlin can handle just about anything!" China Doll flinched from Naruto's yelling, but he didn't care. He wanted answers.

"Where's Sailor now?" China Doll glanced over her shoulder.

"I think he's with the other sensei." She looked back over her shoulder. "But they're in the middle of a meeting, so you're going to have to wait." Naruto nodded, still trying to wrap his mind around the idea of Merlin being dead.

Sailor would tell him the truth, Naruto was sure about it. Sailor was just like Merlin, one of the few people who actually treated him like something more than an annoyance. Sailor was the reason Naruto was even standing here. If he hadn't saved Naruto from that orphanage, he probably would still be there, dreaming of getting out.

"Is that all the meeting was about?" Sai asked after a pause. China Doll turned towards him, playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Basically." Naruto sighed, not sure what to say or do. How could this be true? There was no way Merlin was dead, he was too strong!

"Robin Hood, Picasso, did you just get here?" Naruto perked as soon as he heard his voice. He turned around and smiled at Sailor, who was looking at him with a grief stricken face.

Sailor was still a young man, but the scar across the bridge of his nose made him look years older. He had brown hair with matching brown eyes and wasn't as tall as the others his age, but still intelligent. He taught most of the young agents. He explained basics and rules, which were life-savers in most cases.

"Is it true? Is... Merlin dead?" Naruto tried not to sound like a little kid, but his voice cracked anyways. Sailor stuffed his hands in his pockets and refused to meet him in the eye.

"Yes, it is." Grief, anger, and confusion all began tugging at his heart, making it feel as if it were about to rip into pieces.

"Are you alright?"

"Who did it? Who killed him?!" Sailor put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"I know you were close to him, closer than most. Come with me and I'll tell you everything."

Inside Sailor's classroom, Naruto seated himself at a desk. It had been years since he'd be in here, leaning all the basics of surviving. Sailor had been more than a teacher to Naruto though, he had been a friend.

Sailor leaned his back against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes fell to the floor. "The distress call was a fake. It was sent by the underground organization called 'Oto', lead by a man named Orochimaru." Naruto turned away. He had heard that name before. Everyone had, but he had never been a real threat to the agency – until now. "The distress call was anonymous and the signal was traced to a warehouse on the other side of the city. Orochimaru waited for Merlin there, to kill him." Naruto winced at the last words.

"Why didn't someone go with him?" Sailor's face fell, his eyes closing for a moment.

"Others did go, but they passed away also." Naruto felt his throat swell. This Orochimaru had taken away a very important person to him, he had just hit the agency below the belt. He would get what was coming to him, Naruto would make sure of that.

"Are they investigating where this bastard is so we can tear him a part?" Sailor sighed and met Naruto's eager gaze.

"Yes, of course. The best of the best is searching for answers right now." Sailor hesitated, obviously thinking of way to word what he was going to say next. "Listen, I don't want you... to be irrational." Naruto sneered. "I don't want you pestering the agents either. I know you want to take revenge, but we have to do this in a safe manner. No running into the enemy's base like a mad man, got it?" Naruto grunted, looking away stubbornly. His stomach turned as a thought pinched his mind.

"Who's in charge now, who's the new boss?"

"Gamer." Naruto's jaw dropped, his clear blue eyes wide.

"No way! Not that grandma! All she does is gamble!" Sailor chuckled, soft and warm just like Naruto remembered from growing up.

"She's the best suited for the job. She's very passionate about the agency and all its members. We're very lucky she agreed. I heard it took quite some persuading."

"By persuading, are you talking bottles of sake?" Sailor laughed again, his head tilting back slightly.

"Don't let her hear you talking that way about her, she'll drop kick you in a second."

Naruto left Sailor in his classroom and walked down the tunnel, feeling in a daze. Merlin was dead. It still didn't feel real, it wasn't something he could easily believe. Was he really dead? Did this chump Orochimaru really kill him? He would have to see his body to really believe this, it was just too much for his mind to wrap around.

Naruto looked up in time to see his sensei, Kakashi, turn the corner. His mood immediately picked up a little as he chased after the older man. "Sensei! Sensei!" Naruto turned the corner and collided straight into Kakashi's chest.

"I'm in a hurry, what is it?" Naruto raised his eyebrows.

"You? In a hurry?" His sensei narrowed his mismatched eyes. Kakashi was an odd man. He worse a mask on his lower face, hiding his facial features from everyone. His silver hair was parted to the side and stuck up in an arrangement of messy tangles. But he was mostly known for his eyes; one black, one red.

"There was a distress call." Naruto's heart plummeted into his stomach.

"Are they sure it's not a fake?" he asked, warily. Kakashi sighed.

"What do you want?" Naruto sighed and looked away.

"Nothing." Kakashi patted Nartuo's head playfully and vanished down the tunnel. Naruto decided he had enough of this place for one day, and headed for the exit.

Naruto laid still on the ground, watching the clouds slowly drift past him. He closed his eyes, feeling the sun's heat on his face. The grass tickled the back of his neck, but he didn't move to scratch at it. The itch would only get worse.

He sighed and sat up, hugging his knees to his chest. He felt extremely sluggish today. His muscles didn't have any energy at all, but just running on empty.

He looked down the hill, watching two kids throw a ball back and forth. The boy leapt and caught it just barely, landing to the ground in a tumble but still smiling proudly. Naruto smiled. How long ago was it when playing ball was the only thing he thought about? It felt like ages. Now, Naruto's life wasn't so simple as playing ball. He was a ninja. A cold hearted, murdering, ninja.

He was brought here to learn to kill, to take down anyone who threatened the government. In the process, he had to give up his identity and live under an alias. Only less than a handful of people knew his real name, and one of them were dead.

Just the thought of Merlin made Naruto's insides boil. Whoever this Orochimaru was, he was going to pay. He was going to pay _big_ time. Naruto glared at his feet, before shoving himself up and walking home.

The house was empty. Kakashi gone on the distress call and Sai was most likely sulking around the agency's headquarters. Naruto couldn't stand it there right now, knowing Merlin wasn't there was just... not right. It felt wrong being there.

Naruto worked his way to his room, trudging up the stairs with heavy feet. He finally made it to his door and stopped. He glanced over his shoulder, at the door across the hall. It was _his_ door. Naruto felt himself shiver. First_ him_ and now Merlin, who else could fate take away from him?

Naruto growled at the thought of anyone else dying and slammed open his door. He struggled his away across his cluttered floor and threw himself on his bed, burying his face in his pillows. He was asleep in minutes.

"Naruto, get up!" Naruto regained consciousness, but still not registering the fact Sai was hovering over him. He rubbed his eyes and moaned. Sai shoved him. "Get up!" he hissed. Naruto finally swatted at him, glaring groggily.

"Go away, bastard." Sai sighed and yanked Naruto's collar, dragging him the floor. Naruto yelped and groped for Sai's legs, attempting to bring him down too. But Sai had jumped out of the way. "You need to hurry up, we're being called on a distress call." Naruto stood up, dusting himself off. He noticed how dark his room had gotten during his nap. _Just how long was I out?_

"For what?" Sai had already started leaving Naruto's room, but stopped in his tracks at the doorway. He glanced over his shoulder at the blonde teen.

"Something about a girl being attacked. Just get your stuff and let's go." Naruto looked down at his floor. A girl was attacked? Shrugging, he followed Sai down the stairs and out the door.

* * *

Here's a hint to the codenames in case your confused:

Robin Hood - Naruto  
Picasso - Sai  
Sailor - Iruka  
Merlin - Third hokage  
Camel - Asuma  
Joker - Genma  
Gamer - Tsunade

I tried to make them obvious... but maybe they weren't, so here's a little helper.


	4. Chapter Three: Bang!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with the Naruto world, plain and simple.

Volume One, formally known as The Beginning.

Rating: M, for violence and sticky situations.

Setting: Author's Universe.

Aurthor's Note: I liked writing this chapter, because I love writing about evil girls like Keiko. They're always fun to hate, right? I changed the title, because the other one was boring. Anyways, review at the end, please.

* * *

Volume One - Revealing

_Chapter Three: "BANG!"_

"Think that you've worked it out, then BANG! Right out of the blue, something happens to you to throw you off course... and then you break down." – Jem "Just A Ride"

"He's where?!" Sakura flinched, Ino's shriek erupting through the entire house. Choji shrank ten sizes in the chair he was sitting in, inside Ino's kitchen, his eyes wide.

"Keiko's party," he repeated. Sakura sighed, closing her eyes, knowing Ino's timer was reaching its end... it was only a matter of seconds before the bomb inside her would explode.

Ino was pacing, her eyes wild with anger. She was panting and her checks were flushed red. Sakura watched her stomped between the fridge and the island counter where Choji and herself were seated. "Calm down, Ino, you're scaring us," Sakura said after a moment. Ino stopped in her tracks and glared at the pink haired girl.

"Don't tell me to calm down," she hissed. "That bastard is out there, flirting with Miss My-Thong-Is-So-Far-Up-My-Butt-I-Can-Only-Care-About-Myself, while I'm here playing Scrabble!" Sakura held her head in her hands, her elbows propped on the counter, watching the steam rise from Ino. "The nerve of that lazy, know-it-all, jerk!" She growled, stomping her feet as she began pacing again.

Choji dug his hand nervously inside the bag of Cheetos, his beady eyes following Ino. "I told him not to go." Sakura bit her lip. That probably wasn't the smartest thing to say.

Ino stopped again, her light-blue eyes narrowing in on Choji. The only sound in the room was the crunching of Choji eating. Sakura was holding her breath, waiting for the blonde to erupt like a volcano.

"You told him not to go, did you?" _Oh, no. She's acting sweet, that's not good._ Sakura eyed the other girl. Choji kept munching, nodding his round head in reply. Ino rubbed her chin, her eyes fogging over with thought. "How interesting."

"Please, Ino, don't do that."

"Do what, Sakura?"

"That! You're acting all calm and under control, but really you're plotting Shika's death." Ino smirked, her eyes narrowing in brilliant delight. Sakura really hated that look, the look of a mad man. Ino dropped her hands and slid over to the counter gracefully.

"Oh, no, no, Sakura. I'm not plotting Shika's death." She picked up an apple from the wicker basket that was set between the two girls. All that was separating Sakura from a crazed, jealous Ino was a basket of fruit. She placed the apple to her lips and grinned devilishly. "I'm planning Keiko's." She took a bite, the juice wetting her lips. Sakura frowned.

"Ino..."

"Don't _Ino_ me, Sakura." She turned away abruptly. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "That prima donna asked for it the minute she dug her five hundred dollar nails into Shikamaru," she sneered. She clutched the apple in her hand, digging her nails into the thin layer of red skin. The juice dripped from the wounds in sticky trails. "She wants war, she'll get one."

Sakura knew Ino like the back of her hand, they were like twins. They even finished each other's sentences from time to time. But at this moment, Sakura had no clue what Ino was thinking. Ino always bossed Shikamaru around, and whenever he didn't do what she wanted, she got angry. But this was different. And why it was, was over Sakura's head.

Choji sifted in his seat, the bag of chips still in his lap. He was holding something back, Sakura sensed it. There was something on the tip of his tongue but he wouldn't push it out. She watched him carefully, searching him for signs.

"I should go there," Ino said, musingly. Sakura turned her head in her direction, forgetting completely about Choji. "I should stomp all over her little parade."

"That's suicide, Ino. That's what she wants, she wants you mad. She just wants to embarrass you in front of all those people." But Ino wasn't listening. She was twirling the apple in her hand, her mind far off in a distant galaxy where Keiko was dead.

"She always gets what she wants, well, not this time. I won't let her." She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "She won't win this time." Sakura groaned.

"Ino! Listen to me, this isn't worth it. Can't you just talk to Shikamaru tomorrow?" Ino turned, glowering at Sakura from over her shoulder.

"And let Keiko once again claim victory? I thought you were on my side, Sakura!" Sakura's eyes lowered into slits, she placed her hands on the counter and leaned towards the other girl.

"You _know_ I'm on your side, stupid. But I'm not about to let you do something so ridiculous as storming into her house like some nutcase!" Yelling seemed to get through to people more than calmly discussing matters, or so Sakura hoped. She was running out of options. Ino wouldn't listen to her when she tried to reason, so yelling was all she had left.

"You don't understand! I have to do this! It's the only way!" Ino was fully facing Sakura now, leaning over the counter just like she was. Sakura glared at her, her lime green eyes hardening.

"What don't I understand, Ino? The only way for what? Will you just stop screaming like you're PMSing and talk to me!" Ino met Sakura's glare with equal intensity. They stayed like that, testing the other girl, seeing if the other would back down. It was Choji who finally broke the silence. Standing up, he grabbed Sakura and lowered her to her seat. Then he pushed Ino slowly away from the counter.

"She's right, Ino." Ino shook him off her and glowered. "She's right about everything. You can't just show up and cause chaos, it's what Keiko is betting on. And... you need to tell her." Sakura's eyebrows arched.

"Tell me what?" Ino huffed, not saying anything and refusing to look at either of them. Sakura rolled her eyes. "Grow up, Ino. You can tell me." Ino's shoulders dropped and she finally turned around. Her eyes were scanning the countertop, as if the answers to some question were written on the smooth surface.

"Sakura, the only reason I didn't tell you was because I didn't want you freaking out." Sakura grunted.

"I'm freaking out already."

"I know, I know." Ino sighed, her hands cupping her face. "I'm sorry, but you have to understand –"

"Oh, sure, I get it. I've only been your best friend since elementary. I can understand perfectly why I'm the last to know whatever it is _I'll freak out_ about." Sakura didn't meant to snap, but she wasn't used to this. Ino used to confide everything in her. They were attached at the hip. What Ino had to say, Sakura knew _first_. She wasn't sure she liked the sudden change between them, the sudden rift.

"Sakura! Just listen!" Ino dropped her hands to her side and placed them on the counter's edge for support. "I'm sorry, okay? Will you just listen to me?" Then added, after Sakura made no further objections, "I was afraid you would freak out because I..." Ino's face distorted, she was trying to find the right words. Sakura's impatience was growing thin, and she didn't hide that fact either. "Because I'm in love with Shika."

_Okay, that really wasn't what I was expecting._ Sakura stared, unsure of what to say, or to even do. Should she hug her and say congratulations? Should she be mad that Ino kept it from her? Or should she feel guilty that Ino was scared of her reaction? And what reaction was Ino so afraid of anyways? Why would Sakura freak out, and why did that frighten Ino so much she kept it secret? That rift just grew a few more inches, and it was threatening to drag Sakura down.

"Oh, Ino..." She didn't know what else to say. She felt her eyes fill with tears, blurring her vision. Ino smiled weakly, still wary of her best friend. "Oh, Ino, I would have understood," Sakura added, blinking away her tears. She was always such a crybaby, such an emotional roller coaster. Maybe that's why Ino was scared to tell her.

They met eyes, Ino's full of worry and guilt, and Sakura's brimming with shame and forgiveness. How could she have gotten so mad, when poor Ino was struggling like this? No wonder she was so hell bent on destroying Keiko's plans to snatch up Shika. Sakura's face suddenly fell.

"Ino, we have a party to crash."

Keiko lived the fantasy of every girl. She even rivaled Barbie. Sakura stared at the mansion as they slowly approached it. It made her apartment seem like a cardboard box in comparison. Even Ino stood in awe, her eyes swallowing every detail. The house was three stories, the windows were as tall as the ceilings and arched elegantly, and Greek pillars stood guard next to the French double doors. The garage hugged the side of the house, the two sliding doors shut tight, hiding Keiko's custom BMW (with pink interior and matching rims) and her father's collection of Italian Alfa Romeo Breras. An eight foot, wooden fence separated their yard from the rest of the world, shielding away their luxuries.

Choji stood in between the girls, gaping just the same. "Remind me why I'm helping you." Sakura smiled, wrapping her arm around his shoulders, steering him towards the house. Ino followed suit, still staring.

"Because of the all you can eat buffet we promised you," Sakura whispered.

"The things I do for food..." Choji mumbled as they neared the massive front doors. Sakura glanced at Ino and smiled.

"The things we do for Ino." Ino meet her gaze, her blue eyes sparkling with appreciation. Sakura winked at her and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "But I guess she's worth it, right, Choji?"

"She's worth an all you can eat buffet? Of course." Sakura and Ino laughed warmly as they all interlocked arms and strode towards the party.

By the time they crossed the lawn and reached the doors, they could hear the throbbing music and the cheers of teenagers. Sakura glanced inside a window with its curtains pulled back to see two boys guzzling down beer through a tube. She grimaced and turned away, disgusted. She still hoped this was a good idea.

There wasn't a doorman to stop them for entering, so they awkwardly made their way from the main hall and into the living room. Each of them were standing on their tip toes, leaning in all sorts of directions, trying to look over the heads of the dancing bodies to find Shika. After a couple of uncomfortable minutes, Ino groaned.

"Maybe we should split up." Sakura was leaning against Choji, trying to get a good look at a group of kids huddled in the opposite corner. She hardly heard Ino over the pulsing techno.

"That's not a good idea," Sakura half shouted back. Ino put her hands on her hips and gave Sakura a stern look. Sakura mocked her. "What if you find him and can't find us?" Ino rolled her eyes.

"I can handle Keiko on my own." Choji turned to face her, his unruly red hair poking Sakura slightly in the shoulder. He was shorter than her, but when he had that determined look in his small eyes, he grew a couple of inches magically.

"Then why did you drag us here?" Ino didn't have a comeback. Instead, she pouted and crossed her arms. Sakura sighed and pulled Ino close so she wouldn't have to yell over the music.

"Ino, we're here to help, so let us." Ino slid out of Sakura's hold and stepped away, almost getting herself swallowed by the mass of dancing, sweaty bodies. Sakura yanked her to safety, tugging her back into the main hall. Choji followed close behind.

"Let me go, Sakura," Ino demanded, shoving Sakura's hand off her elbow. Sakura frowned and cornered Ino easily.

"You promised you wouldn't do this. Choji and I are trying to help but you refuse to let us. That's what friends are for, dumby. Now, let's find Shika, drag his butt out of here, and go back to your house where my ears can heal." Ino tensed, but didn't complain. Sakura led the way to the kitchen, the next place for their search.

It was outside, by the pool with the popular kids, that Ino spotted Shikamaru. At first, all she could do was stare at him from behind the kitchen doors. His brown hair was pulled back in the usual ponytail, his eyes half open, and his posture slouched in the lawn chair. But there was one thing new about him that Ino couldn't get over. It seemed Keiko had attached herself to his lap, and he didn't look at all displeased with it.

Sakura followed her hypnotized gaze and found herself staring as well. This certainly wasn't good. Getting Shikamaru out of here was going to be harder than she had hoped it to be, but it couldn't be avoided. For the sake of their foursome, Sakura had to find a way to get Keiko away from him so Ino could convince him to leave. She glanced at Choji, but he was no help. He was eyeing the rows of snacks like a predator stalking his prey. She would have to do this one alone.

"Sakura... he likes her, doesn't he?" Sakura snapped out of her plotting as she heard Ino's frail voice. _Oh, no, you don't, Ino! You're not giving up now! Cha! _

"Of course not, he's just too lazy to push her off." That sounded pathetic, Sakura thought. Her attempt to reassure Ino failed. Her face fell, her eyes brimming with tears, and her shoulders slacked. Sakura quickly grabbed her and forced her to look her in the eye. "Trust me, Ino. I'll get rid of that plastic bitch and you grab Shika, got it?" But Ino didn't look like she got it.

"Let's just go home, Sakura." She turned back to look at Shikamaru through the sliding glass doors. "Look, he's have fun... with Keiko... so let's just go before we ruin that for him." She sounded defeated, and that wasn't the Ino Sakura was used to. Taken aback by the lack of confidence in the blonde, Sakura dropped her hands and glared.

"I thought you weren't going to let her win? What happened to, 'If she wants a war, she'll get one.'?" Ino looked away, a few tears rolling down the side of her face. Sakura pulled a piece of hair behind her ears and thought.

"I'm sorry for bringing you here, Sakura, but I want to go home." Sakura's eyebrows raised, her vivid green eyes widening.

"No way. Ino Yamanaka doesn't just _give up_, especially to Keiko!" This seem to spark something. Ino suddenly straightened and faced Sakura, her eyes still lined with tears. Sakura gave her a grin. "Now, let's get this over with."

Sakura started her way through the throng of drunk and overly excited teenagers, her eyes fixed on Keiko. Her heart began to pick up pace as she closed in the distance between them, reminding herself that Ino was worth all this aggravation. Why couldn't she be best friends with someone a little less complicated?

Keiko was laughing a little too loud, throwing her head back, and placing her hands on Shika's chest. She was obviously showing off, like always. Shika merely stayed in his seat, watching the people around him, not really being involved. She wondered what really possessed him to come here, he stuck out worse than a sore thumb. He wasn't even talking to the other kids circling around them, just watching them with his usual bored gaze.

Until he happened to see Sakura strutting towards them. His eyes lit up, but not in the friendly, "Hey-I-Wasn't-Expecting-To-See-You-Here" way, but more like "What-The-Hell" way. Sakura grinned and waved, realizing that more of the crowd noticed her. Finally, Keiko turned to see who everyone was staring at. Her face fell instantly, and that only made Sakura grin wider.

"Hey, Shika, I've been looking for you everywhere. It was like a real-life Where's Waldo." Shika didn't look amused, and neither did anyone else. Sakura was not welcome, she could feel it from each pair of eyes.

"Is there a reason you're here, Haruno?" Sakura narrowed her eyes as she glared at Keiko. Her red hair was curled in thick waves, her dark eyes sending daggers straight at Sakura's head, and her full lips pinched together in irritation. Her tan, long legs were crossed, her dangerous manicured hands were now resting on her knee. She looked like a fierce queen perched on her throne, which happened to be Shikamaru Nara at the moment.

"Didn't I just say what I was here for? I was looking for Shikamaru."

"He's busy," Keiko snapped, challenging Sakura mutely. Sakura narrowed her eyes even more and then smiled.

"Then maybe you could help me." Keiko wasn't expecting that, in fact, she looked rather shocked at first. She quickly regained her confidence and laughed coolly, leaning towards Shika and wrapping her fingers around his shoulder.

"Help you with what, finding your way back to Chubby and Miss Pig and the rest of the misfits?" If Sakura were a cat, she would have lunged straight for Keiko's smug face and scratched her skin off. But Sakura was human, and even if her parents taught her how to take a grown male twice her size down with a single blow, she had to control her urges. But calling her friends nasty names was really pushing her limits. Sakura looked at Shikamaru, expecting some sort of rage, but only found a blank stare. _Fine, Shika, I'll defend _our_ friends myself._

"Actually, I already know where they are. They're currently hiding from the police who are starting to get angry because they can't find the hostess of this... little get together." Keiko faltered for a moment, her eyes searching Sakura for any signs of a bluff.

"You're kidding."

"No, not at all. I came here to find Shikamaru so we could high tail it out of here before everyone gets arrested. Underage drinking, disturbing the peace, and I think I even saw a drug deal on my way out here... you sure are breaking a lot of laws tonight, Keiko." Keiko stood up slowly, blocking Sakura's view of Shikamaru. Keiko's heels made her even taller than she already was compared to Sakura, making her loom over the pink haired girl. Her eyes bore into her with such fierceness, Sakura wanted to shrink away into the crowd. But she wouldn't, she couldn't. She was doing this for Ino, that's all that mattered.

"You better not be lying, Forehead, or you're going to see what kind of authority I have around here." Sakura shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, but was really screaming with panic inside.

Keiko shoved past her, her shoulder slamming into Sakura's, causing her to stumble backwards slightly. She followed her closely, the rest was up to Ino.

Inside, Keiko had the affect of Moses in the Red Sea. The oceans of teenagers parted for her without question, and then hurried to fill the space again, almost sucking Sakura into them. But she stayed close to Keiko, she had to stall as much as possible to make sure Ino and Choji had enough time to get Shika.

Her hair was getting pulled, her feet stepped on, and sweat that wasn't even hers was staining her nice shirt. She glared, annoyed, as a boy bumped into her, spilling his drink on her jeans. _Great, now I smell like beer. How do I explain that to Mom and Dad?_ She shoved him back, angry and full of pent up emotion. She was tired and desperately wanted to go home, but she was stuck at this stupid party trying to help Ino hook up with Shikamaru while stalking Keiko. Wait, stalking Keiko... Sakura panicked, she couldn't find Keiko anywhere!

Her heart racing, Sakura pinched her way through the closely packed crowd, trying to look over their heads and find that red headed devil. But somehow, she had escaped Sakura. Feeling extremely drained, she used the last of her strength and made her way towards the main hallway. She finally reached the hall and stumbled out of the crowd, breathing in air was wasn't smoke and body odor.

But Keiko wasn't there, Sakura quickly noticed. This wasn't good, this was terribly horrible. Sakura spun around, hoping that maybe she just overlooked her. She cursed and walked towards the kitchen. She growled in frustration when she found that annoying hostess wasn't there either.

"Sakura?" She turned to see Choji walking towards her, his face worried and confused. Sakura's stomach flipped. What more could go wrong?

"I lost Keiko, I think she knew I was lying and is heading back outside."

"It wouldn't matter, because Shika and Ino left and I can't find them." Sakura's mouth dropped slightly.

"What! Well, that's just great." Choji took a bite of the sandwich he was carrying, his eyes narrowed.

"You smell horrible." Sakura sighed and buried her face in her hands.

"That's the least of my problems." Sakura had had enough. She was beyond her limit. All she wanted was to get out of here!

"Officer, there they are." Sakura spun at the sound of Keiko's shrill voice. She saw her pointing a clawed finger at her, smiling in triumph, standing next to a police officer. Sakura's heart skipped a beat. _No way..._ "Those are the ones who are trespassing." Sakura's mouth dropped. There was no way this officer was going to arrest them with all the scandalous things going on around him!

But he would, and he did. He escorted Sakura and Choji off the property, but not before Keiko got a change to gloat in glory. "I told you, Forehead. I have authority." Sakura yanked herself free of the officer's grip as he led them to the end of the block. He warned them to not go back or they would face a punishment instead of a warning. Sakura was too worried about Ino to really pay attention to him.

"I can't believe she paid that officer to do that..."

"I can't believe you were right about the police being there." Sakura smiled, but didn't feel too happy.

"Luck, well, I guess not. Look where it got us." She hugged her arms, feeling the cold breeze nip harshly at her exposed skin. She should have worn a jacket or something.

She stared at the mansion, knowing they would have to wait for Ino. She hoped Keiko didn't find her and have her thrown out, that would only spark up a sense of revenge inside Ino. And frankly, Sakura wasn't sure if she could handle dealing with Keiko any longer.

Finally, Sakura made out a blonde figure half running, half walking towards them. She was wiping at her eyes. Sakura's heart plummeted to her stomach.

"Ino..." Ino bolted past her, her long ponytail wiping past both Choji and Sakura.

"Leave me alone," she responded in between sobs. Sakura grabbed her elbow, forcing her to stop and turn around.

"What happened?" Ino yanked herself free and glared at Sakura with heated eyes. Sakura stared at her, confused why the anger was directed at her.

"He said I shouldn't have come to stir up things. He called me _troublesome_!"

"He always calls you that," Choji stated, but Ino ignored him.

"He said I should stop trying to control his life and being so bossy! He said Keiko doesn't tell him what to do all the time! He compared me to Keiko, Sakura!" Sakura watched as she rubbed at her eyes violently. "If you had just let me leave, he wouldn't be mad at me." The words stung Sakura like needles.

"You're... blaming me?" Ino glared at her from behind her eyelashes, a look of pure loathing. Sakura's heart skipped more than one beat, it stopped all together.

"It's your fault! You made me go to him when I just wanted to go home! And now he hates me and likes Keiko even more!" Sakura couldn't move, she couldn't even wrap her head around what Ino was saying. "If you had just let me leave like I wanted, none of that would have happened! Shika would still be talking to me instead of calling me _a troublesome pain in his ass_!" she hissed harshly. That was it, Sakura's anger starting boiling in her veins.

"How dare you blame this on me," she retorted, her voice shaking, "When all I did was try to help you with something you didn't even trust me to know!" Sakura spat. Ino stepped back, her eyes in slits and hands clenched in fists. Sakura's face flushed with heat, her eyes burning with raw anger. "You're the one who was so _determined _to come here and ruin Keiko's plans! This was all _your_ idea!" Sakura was sucking in air like gasps. "All you think about is yourself and what you want. Maybe Shika isn't in love with you! Maybe he's _sick_ of you bossing him around all the time! Maybe he's better off with Keiko!"

Idiot, Sakura thought the second the words left her mouth. Ino froze, all her muscles shaking with hurt and anger. "I hate you, Sakura Haruno. And I never want to speak to you again." Sakura didn't even give her words time to sink in. She shoved past Ino, stomping down the sidewalk, her heart pounding inside her chest so much it hurt.

"I hate you, too! And trust me, I won't talk to you_ again_! I don't want to talk to someone as selfish and pig-headed as you!" She heard Choji call after her, but she ignored him. She had enough, all she wanted was to go home and hide in her bed for the rest of her life.

By the time she was home, she was sobbing and regretting everything. All her anger was drained and now she wished she could take it all back. She forced open her door and slammed her back against it, holding her face as she cried. Her whole body was shuddering as she slid to the floor. She didn't even notice she wasn't alone.

"Sakura Haruno, I presume?" Sakura let out a cry of shock and bolted to her feet, her back scraping hard against the door. Her eyes widened as she stared at the figure sitting on her favorite chair, his legs crossed, his glasses glowing like white lights in the dark. Sakura could feel her pulse in her wrist and throat, fast and unsteady. She was panting, from fear.

"Who—who are you?" Her voice cracked, her throat had swelled and her mouth was incredibly dry. He laughed, cruel and threatening. Sakura's body tensed, her muscles squeezed, her eyes alert to every move he made.

They were alone, her parents weren't expected back for a couple more hours. She was doomed. There was no way she could take this guy, she didn't stand a chance. She quickly glanced around the small apartment, trying to find some sort of plan to escape. Maybe she could make it out the door and down the stairs without him grabbing her, if she were fast enough. She swallowed, noticing he was watching her closely.

"No need to be afraid, I just want to talk." Sakura slowly placed her hand around the doorknob. "Step away from the door, I don't want you getting ideas," he said, smiling menacingly. "Plus, it's not like you could outrun me," he added in a smooth but creepy tone. Sakura shuddered. He knew her plan.

"My parents will be here any minute—" He laughed, rolling his head over his shoulders. Sakura was still panicking, her mind screaming all sorts of commands, but her body refused to react.

"We both know that's not true." He motioned with his hand towards the couch. "Have a seat, relax. I just want to talk, promise." Sakura didn't move, not even an inch. She held her breath as fear swam through her like a hoard of frantic fish. He sighed after a moment. "You're scared of me," he stated disappointingly. Sakura still refused to budge.

He stood up in one fluid motion and that made Sakura's breath hitch. She quickly slid down the wall until her hip banged against the counter that divided the kitchen and the living room. Her eyes wild with fear as she watched him make his way towards her. She whimpered, corned like prey. Her body was shaking and she realized she was crying.

"My, my, you're as terrified as a little rabbit." Sakura closed her eyes and began to pray to every god she heard of, hoping one of them would answer. Her hands were clenched tightly, her nails digging into her clammy palms, and her jaw was so clamped shut it hurt her teeth.

"Puh—puh—please..." Sakura stammered, more tears spilling down the sides of her face. Her lips were quivering and she felt extremely numb. She heard him stop in front of her and she shrank to the floor, holding her knees to her chest. "Just leave!" She shouted out of fear. He laughed.

"Don't be so pathetic," his voice was harsh, unforgiving. He grabbed her harshly dragging her to her feet. Sakura cried out in surprise. "I told you I just wanted to talk." Sakura stared at him, unable to truly believe this was happening. Was there really a strange man in her house, or was she just tired from everything that happened tonight? He didn't give her another moment to think, but pulled her to the couch.

"You look like your mother," he said softly. Sakura stared at him in disbelief.

"You...you know... my mother?" He laughed and forced her to sit, and then sat next to her. Sakura tried to scoot away but his fingers wrapped around her wrists bruising.

She finally got a good look at him, with the dim moonlight pouring from the window and hitting his face. He was young, younger than her father, and had silver hair that was pulled into a loose ponytail. His dark eyes were slanted with both charm and malice, making Sakura feel scared and enthralled all at the same time. Who was this man? Why was he here? How did he know her and her family? And most importantly, what was he planning to do with her?

"Yes, I know your mother. She was a sweet girl. Stupid, but sweet." Sakura swallowed a gasp. He grinned at her expression. "I suppose you're wondering how I could possibly know her, know you?" Sakura nodded, feeling a daze take hold of her mind. He smiled, his eyes shining with something Sakura couldn't put her finger on. Joy... or insanity? "She's an old friend, so is your father. They'll be thrilled to see me once they come home." Sakura didn't believe him, his tone was too mocking for it to be true.

"You and me have lots of time to get to know each other, don't we?" he added curiously. Sakura's heart sank fast. She didn't like where this conversation was going. She said the first thing she could think of.

"My parents told me not to talk to strangers." _Stupid, idiot, girl! Why couldn't you say something threatening, like, I know karate and can kick your ass?!_ Sakura bit her lip as he laughed heartily.

"You're quite entertaining," he said, half laughing. "It's a shame I have to kill you." _That's my cue_, Sakura thought as her instincts kicked in. She wasn't stammering, fumbling, scared Sakura anymore. She was purely running on adrenalin and practiced movements.

She thrust her wrists free, scrambling away from the couch as fast as she could. He grabbed her violently, hissing in her ear words she couldn't quite make out. She was focused on getting away. She twisted in his grip, facing him as they fell to the floor, and slammed her palm into his chin, sending his head jerking back. _I actually hit him!_ Sakura didn't have time to gloat, he had her pinned and punched her middle in the next second.

Sakura coughed, feeling his knuckles digging into the soft flesh of her stomach. Her mind went blank for a moment, black dots blurring her vision. She struggled against him with futility, trying just about anything to free herself. And that's when the door banged open, her parents panting and bolting into the room.

The man was off her in a blink and standing above her like a giant. She moaned and looked at her mother and father. She had never seen them like this before. Both of them in stances she had seen a thousand times in the studio, but it seemed so different. This was real, that was practice. Sakura's heart raced.

"Nice to see you again," the man sneered. _So, he does know my parents. But...how?_ Sakura looked at them, slowly rising to rest on her hands.

"Don't touch her again, or we won't go so easy on you." Was that really her father speaking? It didn't sound like him at all. His happy-go-lucky smile was gone, his eyes were narrowed instead of large with simple joy, and his booming voice was more threatening than goofy. He was transformed from father to warrior.

"We're serious, Kabuto," her mother added. She was transformed as well. Her slender legs parted in a stance, ready to take this Kabuto if she had to. Her hands were in fists, raised to her chest, and her face wasn't soft and motherly, but fierce and scary. Sakura stared at them in awe. She had no idea her parents had this side...

Kabuto smirked, his lips curling upwards. Sakura glared at him over her shoulder. Her mind was thinking of all sorts of ways to tear him limb for limb.

"I wasn't expecting such a rude reunion. Your daughter here is hardly what I would call friendly, she didn't even ask me if I wanted tea." Kabuto seemed amused with himself, chuckling at his own joke. But no one else was.

Ryuu drew back his firsts and narrowed his eyes on Kabuto. The silence among them frightened Sakura. She knew what was going to happen next, she saw it happen a million times in the movies. They were going to fight.

And just like that, her parents leapt over the couch, aiming for Kabuto. Her mother rolled over the couch and pulled Sakura aside, dumping her in a safe distance before aiding her father, who was fully engaged in battle.

Kabuto punched for her father's face, but he ducked, crouching like a cat before swinging his leg in a 360, hoping to catch Kabuto's legs and drag him down to the floor. But Kabuto jumped back, quickly blocking a kick to the side by Ayame. Sakura watched, in a trance, hardly believing what was going on in her _living room_. This stuff only happened in fiction.

Kabuto had a hold of her mother's ankle, and flung her across the room. She hit the wall hard and fell to the floor in a heap. Sakura cried out, hurrying to her side. Her father barely glanced over his shoulder before attacking Kabuto again.

Her mother moaned as Sakura helped her sit up. She didn't even look at Sakura, but watched as her father and Kabuto blocking each other's advances, as if in a dance. Her mother frowned and then finally met eyes with her daughter. She fished inside her pocket and handed Sakura a small, black object.

"Take it and run. Use it to signal help." Sakura blinked, staring at her mother with so much confusion, she could hardly make out what she was saying.

"Mom...?" Ayame shook her head, hushing Sakura with a finger pressed to Sakura's lips.

"I said take it and run. You need to get help, okay? Run, Sakura. Run!" Ayame grabbed Sakura painfully and shoved her towards the destroyed door. Sakura stumbled and caught herself in the doorway, staring at the older woman with wide green eyes.

"Sakura, run!" her father shouted as Kabuto kicked him in the side, sending him crashing into the couch. Sakura cried out, covering her mouth with her hands. Her mother leapt to stop Kabuto from further advancing on Ryuu. "Get out of here and get help!" Sakura didn't hesitate any further. She turned around and ran down the wooden staircase into the cold night, her heart racing and her mind in scrambles.

She made it to the park before stopping, out of breath and her heart throbbing against her ribs painfully. The pine tress hovered over her, blocking the bitter, September wind. She fell to her knees and brought the black object her mother gave her to her face. _Call for help_, her mind reminded her. It was some sort of walkie-talkie, Sakura noticed after a brief examination. She pushed the thick button on the side and brought it to her lips.

"My name is Sakura Haruno, I need help. I just got attacked, and I need help. Please, whoever this is, help me. Please." Sakura began to sob, holding the walkie-talkie in her hands as if it alone was her life support. "Please! Help! Please!" It crackled, and Sakura could hardly contain her wails.

"How did you get this frequency? Who is this?" An unfamiliar voice, male, asked with mild impatience. Sakura felt so relieved, ignoring the fact she had no idea who exactly she was calling help to. Her body was still shaking with nerves as she lifted it back to her mouth.

"Sakura Haruno! Please! Help me!"

* * *

Author's Note: And then comes our hero! 


End file.
